The Short Flight to Freedom

By Brian Casey

A few months ago, we took our two lorries out for their romp in their favourite flower bush. Whilst they were on their way to the bush in question, a car door at our neighbour's house closed with a loud bang. Squirt, no prizes for how he came to get his name, took fright, and as there was a reasonably strong wind blowing, took flight, and as he was trying to fly downhill, with the help of the breeze, he just made it over the two wooden fences.
With his sibling in my other hand, I climbed onto a vantage point to visually follow squirt's flight plan, over the roof of the house below us, and then over the road, and into the gardens behind the houses across the road. It was just before sunset, so we rushed down to try to find him. We searched by calling and whistling, but to no avail.

That night it rained heavily, and there was a really strong wind blowing. We didn't sleep well at all. We got up before sunrise, and dressing warmly, took our torches and headed down to where we thought Squirt might be hiding out. The weather was really bad, cold with strong wind, and heavy rain coming and going.
We walked all over, up and down the hills, down driveways, all the time whistling and calling. People leaving for work just before dawn must have thought we were crazy. Still, we couldn't find Squirt, and eventually the boys had to get back home and get ready for school.
I called all the local vets, the SPCA, Sylvia Durrant at bird rescue, all the local pet shops, and MAF's Paul Kealing. Paul was very helpful, and promised to assist after the weekend. Squirts' sibling was very distraught, calling incessantly for his lost brother.

I decided to record his calling, and put these onto a tape cassette. I then took my car, left the windows open, and drove down all the roads in the vicinity where Squit had possibly landed, while playing the lorries calls at full volume! I had to listen very carefully for any reply, as the wind was blowing strongly.
After a short time, I thought I heard a return call. I switched off the car's engine and tape, and whistled. There it was! The distict call " Hey, I'm here!" 
I got out the car, oblivious to trespassing and finding myself homing in on his call, hoping this wasn't someone's else's lorrie in a cage on a porch. But he kept calling me, and I followed up a driveway, into the back yard of a property about 50m off the road, and into an open garage. I whistled for Squirt again. His reply came, but I couldn't locate him. I looked in the rafters, and all over.
Eventually he fell silent. Perhaps he had doubts that I was really his rescuer! There was a pile of rubbish with a lawnmower in the corner, and I couldn't see any space, so I gently moved the mower. Suddenly, this little face came out the side, and jumped onto my finger! My heart was pounding! I was so happy to have found Squirt before he became cat food or worse.

I took him home, and put him back into his cage. He went straight for the food! His sibling was giving him the cold shoulder treatment, as if saying " where the hell do you think you were?" or " is this a proper time to get back home?"

Anyway, I hope this is a story people will take note of. Ensure the wings are regularly clipped so that your bird doesn't fly away. I decided to have our birds ringed by MAF, who were very helpful. Paul and Artyom at MAF also said that when they catch lorries, these birds are quite quiet, as they are missing their families. All the more reason to be sure that your pal's wings are clipped. And if all that fails, be prepared, and make a cassette tape recording of your bird's calling in case of emergency.

Lastly, Squirt and Stubby have been for training, no, not potty training!